Geobge keith



G.,KE|TH. I AUTOMATIC LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS FOR GASLAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED DECJI. 1915.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

....IILIII/ arr/U? WWII/fl' ITNITED STATES APATENT OFFIQEE.

GEORGE KEITH, AOlE LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 `J'AMSvKEITH, 0F

LONDON, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC LIGHTING vAND EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS FOR GAS-LAMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed December 8, 1915. Serial No. 65,675.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE KEITH, a subject of the King of the UnitedKingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at London, England,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Lightingand Extinguishing Apparatus for Gas-Lamps, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to automatic lighting and extinguishing apparatusfor high pressure gas lamps such as described in the specification ofLetters'Patent No. 1139361 and has for its primary object to providemeans forpreventing gas which has leaked past the valve controlling thepilot light bypass from passingto the pilot tube while the lamp isalight, thereby .preventing deposition of carbon in the pilot tube.

According to the invention,there is provided a passage which is out ofcommunication with the gas supply when the pilot light is in use but isadapted to permit escape to the atmosphere of any gaseous leakageentering the pilot supply while `the lamp is alight.

In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sectionsillustrating one embodiment of the invention, showing the main valve inclosed and in open position respectively; Fig. 3 is a detail viewshowing a modification: Figs. 4 and 5 are views corresponding to Figs. 1and 2. showing a further modiication. Fig. 6 is a substantially centralhorizontal section ofthe device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be seen that in all casesfthefgeneral arrangement is similar tothat shown'in the drawings annexed to the specification of LettersPatent No. 1139361.

Referring to Figsfl and 2, the spindle 1 of the plunger 2, in lieu ofbeing guided along its entire length as heretofore, has a sliding fitwith the outer end only of the spindle guide 3, and at its inner end istapered to form a conical valve portion 4 adapted, when the plunger 2 isin its innermost position, corresponding to the closed position of themain valve, to seat on the contracted inner end of the guide 3, therebeing thus afforded between the spindle guide 3 and the spindle 1 anannular space 5 which is maintained closed at the outer end but which isopen at the inner end during such time as the said conical portion 4 isunseated. Leading to the annular space 5 1s a passage 6 extendingthrough the cap member. 7 of the diaphragm casing into the casing proper8 and communicating with the pilot light supply. In the out-wardposition of the plunger 2, corresponding to the open position of themain valve, and to the interruption of the supply to the pilot light bythe pilot supply control valve 9, the annular space 5 is brought intocommunication with the chamber 10 formed in the cap member 7 at the backof the diaphragm 11, which chamber 10 is formed with a small vent 12open to the atmosphere.. Accordingly, any leakage of gas past the pilotsupply control valve 9 and through the passage 6 to the annular space 5can now pass by way of the vent 12 Ato the atmosphere. It will beappreciatedithat with the spindle 1 guided in a comparatively narrowbearing, in lieu of being in a bearing for substantially its entirelength, friction due to the eccentricity thereto of thepilot-supply-control-valve and of the enriching-supply-control-valve isdiminished, inasmuch as although these valves tend to tilt the plungerand spindle, the extent of tilting movement is limited by reason ofjtheplunger being held in central position vby its frictional engagementwith the diaphragm 11. 'Moreoven in the event of the plunger beingdisplaced from its central position when retracted, it will be restoredto central position by the engagement of the conicalvalve portion withits seat.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 3, the passage from the pilotsupply control valve is led past the edge of the diaphragm 11 and thevent 12 to the atmosphere is taken directly from the annular space 5. Asgenerally arranged, the automatic lighter is positioned sufiicientlyhigh to insure that the gas, being lighter than air, will take thecourse through the vent 12 in preference to passing through the pilotconnection 13.

In the further modified construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which isintended to be used in the case where the pilot llame is at a positionabove the automatic lighter, there is itted to the back of the capmember 7 a small cap 14 which is engaged by the back end of the spindlel when the main valve is full open, the pilot light connection 13 whichis led from the cap lbeing thus cut off when the main valve is open.Flats or the like may be formed at the end of the spindle l remote fromthe diaphragm 11, so that when the main valve is closed gas may passfrom the pilot supply control valve 9 to the annular space 5 by way ofthe passage between the flattened portion of the spindle and the guide 3to the cap 14 and so to the pilot connection 13, the passage to the vent12 being then closed by the engagement of the conical portion 4L of thespindle with its seat. l

What I claim is 1. In automatic lighting and .extinguishing apparatusfor gas lamps, in lcombination, a casing formed with passageways for themain supply and the pilot light supply, a branch from the passage forthe pilot light supply terminating ina vent leading to the atmosphere, adiaphragm movable in said casing and adapted when in one position toopen the main supply yand cut ott the pilot light supply and when inanother position to cut oii' the main supply and open the pilot lightsupply, and means movable with said diaphragm .and adapted to open saidbranch when the main supply is permitted to pass and to close saidbranch when the main-supply is prevented rompassing.

2. In automatic lighting and extinguishing apparatus for gas lamps, incombination, a main supply connection, a pilot lsupply control valve, adiaphragm serving to control the main supply of gas and to act on saidcontrol valve, a loaded plunger acting on said diaphragm, said plungerhaving a spindle, a guide for said spindle between which guide andvspindle is an annular space in communication with the pilot supply, aconnection leading to the atmosphere and in communication with saidannular space in the position of the plunger corresponding to the closedposition of said valve, and cut ol' from communication with said annularspace by said spindle in the position of the plunger corresponding totheV open position of said valve.

3. In automatic lighting and extinguishing apparatus for gas "lamps, incombination, a casing formed with passageways for the main supply and apilot light supply, a branch from the passage for the pilot light supplyterminating in a vent leading to the atmosphere, a diaphragm movable insaid casing and adapted when in one position to open the main supply andcut oit the pilot light supply and when in another position to .cut ofthe main supply and open the pilot light supply, a loaded plungerengaging said diaphragm, a spindle connected to the plunger and having ayconical portion, and a spindle guide presenting a valve seat for saidconical portion, said spindle movable with lsaid .diaphragm so yas to beout of engagement with said seat and to open said branch when the `mainsupply is permitted to pass vand vto lengage said seat and thereby to.close said branch when the main supply is prevented from passing. i

4. In automatic lighting and extinguishing apparatus for :gas lamps, incombination, a casing formed with passageways for the main supply and apilotlight supp1y,.a branch from the passage for the pilot light supplyhaving a vent leading to the atmosphere, means including adiaphragm forcontrolling the main supply and a pilot :supply to permit only oneAsupply to pass at a time, and .a valve member Vmovable with saiddiaphragm and permitting the escape to the atmosphere through saidbranch and said vent of leakage of gas passing the pilot supplycontrolling means -during the time the main supply is permitted to pass.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name Ito this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. A

GEORGE KEITH.

Witnesses:

WALLACE CRANsToN FARWEATHER, IIENRY MAsoN.

Copies `o1! this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner ofv Patents,

Washington, D. C.

